Devolution

Devolution is when a central government transfers powers to a local government. It is sometimes called Home Rule or decentralisation.

In the United Kingdom, devolution is implemented in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Each of these three countries now has an elected legislature which can pass some laws and a government to administer those laws and propose new ones.

These bodies are called

• The Welsh Parliament and Welsh Government
• The Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government
• The Northern Ireland Assembly and Northern Ireland Executive

England does not have its own parliament, while there have been increasing calls today for one.

Devolved assemblies depend on the parent body. The British government could change its mind and abolish the devolved assemblies. This happened in 1972 to the government and parliament of Northern Ireland. It had been set up in 1920, with the parliament of Southern Ireland.

This is different from a federal country. In a federal country like Germany the states, and their powers, exist because of the constitution, not because of the national parliament.

Related pages

• Decentralization
• Federal republic
• Limited government